The truth about Govt's positionon ASUU strike - FinanceMinistry

This is a press statement from the Federal
Ministry of Finance about the ongoing ASUU
strike. It's been four long months (Quite
shameful I must add) with no apparent
resolution to the conflict in sight...and some
people are blaming the Minister of finance Dr
Okonjo Iweala for what's going on.
Some people in ASUU have been distributing
flyers with abusive messages against Dr Okonjo-
Iweala and now the ministry is issuing a
statement about it, saying the minister is not
the problem. I'd rather read about when ASUU is
calling off this strike to be honest. Find the
press statement below

Contrary to some recent media reports, the
Federal government has not adopted a
take-it-or-leave-it approach in its
negotiations with ASUU. Rather, the
approach is focused on positive
engagement and achieving sustainable
solutions to the challenges facing higher
education in the country. That is why
President Goodluck Jonathan recently
appealed to ASUU to respond to
government’s positive steps by calling off
its strike in the interest of suffering
students and parents.
Despite this, for several days now, some
elements in ASUU have been distributing
pamphlets and flyers with abusive and
inflammatory messages against the Coordinating
Minister for the Economy and Minister of
Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in mosques
and other places. This is taking academic
unionism to a new low and infusing it with
unnecessary politics. I am sure majority of ASUU
members are not in support of this.
These messages are directed at using falsehood
to demonize the Minister as callous and
unsympathetic to the plight of students and
parents. The major lie being peddled in the
pamphlets and flyers is that Dr Okonjo-Iweala
has insisted on a “take-it-or-leave-it approach”
in the negotiations with ASUU. Nothing could be
further from the truth.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala is the daughter of two retired
professors and her father is presently a member
of ASUU’s Board of Trustees and has been one
for a long time. She speaks with her father
everyday on the issue so how can be insensitive
to issues concerning the sad state of tertiary
education in the country? She understands and
sympathizes with the plight of both students and
lecturers. She wants our children back in school
as soon as possible. Remember she is a mother
and two of her young relatives are sitting at
home due to the strike.
This is why government is working hard, under
the leadership of the President, to seek practical
and sustainable solutions to the challenges
facing higher education in Nigeria.

The President
has made available N100 billion a year in the
first instance to repair hostels, laboratories and
classrooms and other facilities. An offer has also
been made to ASUU of N30 billion towards their
earned allowances. In fact, negotiations have
even gone further than this. This is the first time,
in years of negotiating with government, that
significant sums of money have been put on the
table for ASUU and universities on this particular
set of issues. The Coordinating Minister is fully
part of this.
Against this background, ASUU elements who
want the strike to continue should have a heart
and rethink their current take-it-or-leave-it
approach to negotiation. Government has
demonstrated its commitment to improving the
university system. And it is even ready to do
much more going forward. ASUU should listen to
the voice of reason and the yearnings of
Nigerians on this issue.

Paul C Nwabuikwu
Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister and
Minister of Finance